Optical image-forming plural reflecting mirror systems



Oct. 9, 1956 G. HERRNRING ET AL 2,766,385

OPTICAL. IMAGE-FORMING PLURAL. REFLECTING MIRROR SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 8, 1955 ngz YW Zvw United States Patent Oce 2,766,385 Patented Oct. 9, 1,956

OPTICAL IMAGE-FGRMING PLURAL REFLECTING MIRROR SYSTEMS Gnther Herrnring, Hamburg-Fuhlsbuttel, and Walter Weidner, Mannheim, lGermany Application September 8, 1953, Serial No. 378,936v

Claims priority, application Germanyseptember 11, 1952 s claims. (ci. o-s3) This invention is concerned with a reflecting mirror system comprising a plurality of surfaces only part of which are aspherical surfaces.

Images have been previously produced with X-rays by total reiection, using mirror systems comprising exclusively aspherical surfaces, as described in copending application Serial No. 288,910, tiled May 20, 1952. If such a system comprises only two mirrors, only ray beams or bundles with small aperture angle can be handled and the aperture of such system is accordingly limited. A larger aperture would however be very desirable at a given wave length so as to increase the resolving power.

In order to be able to use in the image formation larger aperture angles, it would be necessary to increase the number of the reecting surfaces. The use of a greater number of reecting surfaces would make it possible to handle due to plural reection ray beams or bundles of larger aperture in spite of the limitation of the angle of incidence upon the individual mirrors which is with X-rays unavoidable. However, the production of reflecting surfaces with aspherical curvature causes great difculties and the increase in the number of aspherical reflecting surfaces, for the purpose of increasing the aperture, accordingly constitutes an unsatisfactory solution.

The invention is based on the recognition 'of 'the fact that it is possible to obtain achromatic, raplanatic images at fini-te object and image spacing and with larger aperture, even if of the n surfaces of a plural mirror system (n 2) only two surfaces have an iasphen'cal curvature while the remaining n-2 reilecting surfaces are simple rotation surfaces, that is, cylindrical or cone surfaces, wi-th a straight line as a producer. Such cylindrical or cone surfaces can be produced much easier than surfaces with aspherical curva-ture.

It is in the calculation of the mirror systems according to the invention possible to obtain solutions, proceeding from the desired aplanatic properties, which satisfy for each individual ray the sine condition as well as the requirement as to the constancy of the optical paths, the n-Z nonaspherical mirror surfaces being thereby arrived at by simple predetermined analyt-ical functions.

A mirror system of the above indicated kind when used for example as an objective with high magnification, offers among others the advantage of a greater aperture with ease of production; when used as a condenser, the system makes it possible lto produce a true `dark-field illumination.

The interposed n-Z simple mirror surface, for example, cylindrical or cone surfaces, serve primarily the propagation of the rays and therefore affect the image-forming properties of the system only indirectly. In the mathematical treatment of 'the corresponding plural mirror systems, these surfaces moreover permit proceeding from lan equivalent two-mirror system with exclusively asp'he'rical surfaces, such as is described in the previously mentioned copending application Serial No. 288,910. It is thereby -only n-ecessary to apply Afbbes sine condition in a modified form.

'The invention will -now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which Fig. l shows an example 'of a new plural mirrorrobjective comprising van odd number 11:3 of mirrors; `and Fig. 2 illustrates `another example comprising an even .number 11:4 of mirrors.

.Referring now .to Fig. l, Si, `Sz and S3 represent :sections of individual mirror surfaces shown relative to .the plane of .the drawing, .Sz extending in a straight line. The reflecting mirror surfaces are obtained either .as rotation Surfaces, by rotation of it-he curve flights S1, S2, S3 about the axis F1--F2, or as cylinder surfaces (in the case of the asp'herical mirrors S1 and S3) or planes (in the case of the cone surface S2), respectively, for which the curve flights S1, S2, Ss form the guide lines along which the producers, standing, for example, perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, are shifted parallel to themselves. Several cylinder surfaces or planes obtained in this manner `are vdisposed centered about lthe axis F1-F2, in polygon form, whereby :it is possible, by the use of a suitable number of cylinder surfaces or planes, to approach the rotation body as desired and to improve the optical properties of the system. The section-al curves are `determined by maximal satisfaction of the sine requirement and the constancy of the 'sum of the length of the optical paths. The central rays are blocked out by the shutter E. The ray path for one point lof the axis is apparent from Ithe plural rays indica-ted in the drawing.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 assumes a number n=4 Iof mirrors. The plural mirror system is obtained in this case in yan analogous manner from the curve flights S1 to S4, wherein S2 and S3 extend in straight lines. The central ray path is again blocked out bythe shutter B. Several rays are shown in the drawing to indicate the ray path for one point of the axis F1-'Fa The new optical systems `are not limited for use with X-rays, in connection with which they afrord great resolving power, due to their great apertures, but are in View of their good yoptical properties likewise adapted for use with neutrons :and for other oorpuscular radiation, insofar as they exhibit optical and especially total reflection.

The mirror surfaces employed in `the new system may be produced in several diverse Ways. As described in the previously mentioned prio-r application Serial No. 288,910, one of such Ways may be by machining by cutting or non-cutting tools; mirrors for Ihigher' requirements, so Ear as the surface properties are concerned, may be produced by elastic de-formation of bodies whose surfaces sui-tably approach the Idesired form or by defined vaporization or sedimentation of materials upon :suitable carriers with correspondingly formed surfaces; the mirrors may also be produced galvanoplastically; surfaces with slight curvatures as they `are especially required in the X-fray field may be produced With `the necessary yaccuracy in the case of b'icrys-tals by means of the piezoelectric effect, lor, in the case of ferromagnetic materials by magnetostriction; and thermal deformation may be employed in the case of bicrystals for giving the mirror surfaces lthe iinal form.

'Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. Reflecting mirror system -for producing by ythe use of X-rays Istrictly aplanatic, achro-matic images comprising a plurality of n 2 reilecting rotation surfaces including polygonal surfaces, said polygonal surfaces being formed by cylindrical strips polygonally arranged about the optical axis, means for blocking out the nonreecting axially centrally extending ray path, the configurati-on of the surfaces of said n mirrors being calculated by applying :analytic functions proceeding from the requirements for strictly `aplanatic achterna-tic image-forming, so `as to` determine :1 -2 of said mirrors by simple `functions and especially by functions representing second degree surfaces whose meridian sections are straight lines.

2. The reecting mirror system las defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said n mirrors is formed by a plurality `of cylindrical strips with aspnerical curvature and wherein at least one of said n mirrors is formed by a plurality of plane strips, said strips being yobtained by parallel displacement of Itheir respective producer along the calculated curvature and plane, respectively, the totality of said strips in each Iindividual mirror of said system forming a closed polygonal surface surrounding the `optical axis thereof.

3. The reflecting mirror system yaccording to claim 1, wherein are employed rotation `surfaces determined by 4 rotation of the calculated curves of the mirror surfaces about the system axis.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 804,996 Anthony Nov. 21, 1905 1,763,630 Hopkins June 10, 1930 1,865,441 Mutscheller July 5, 1932 2,198,014 Ott Apr. 23, 1940 2,457,253 Martin Dec. 28, 1948 2,557,662 Kirkpatrick June 10, 1951 2,653,249 Harker Sept. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 29,282 Great Britain of 1909 1,055,368 France Oct. 14, 1953 

